Tag: cake

I just love easy, semi-homemade recipes. Last week, just before the Easter holiday, stores throughout my neighborhood had great deals on baking staples like sugar, flour, eggs, and cake mix. I took advantage of many of the sales buying lots of sugar for our bees and lots of cake mix for easy recipes like the one listed below. This is always one of the first items to go when set along side other items on the breakfast buffet. This cake also travels well so taking it to Easter brunch or a summer holiday party is great. Just slice the cooled cake into 1 ½” squares and serve it right out of an attractive baking dish.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

4 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sour cream

1 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 cups powdered sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9×13 Baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil, vanilla and sour cream. Mix on low for 30 seconds and then raise the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Spread the cake batter evenly into your prepared pan. In a medium bowl whisk together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle this evenly on top of your cake.

Using a butter knife gently swirl the cinnamon sugar throughout the cake batter. (Ribbons of sugar and spice.).

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick entered into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cake for 15-20 minutes.

In a medium bowl whisk together the powdered sugar and milk. Pour this over the slightly cooled cake.

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This semi-homemade recipe is a true winner. A few simple ingredients are combined with a basic cake mix for a light and lovely dessert. Oats, brown sugar, and walnuts are combined to make a tasty crumble. While, eggs, sour cream, bananas, and a few extracts are combined with a basic cake mix to form a simple batter. I stock overly ripe bananas in my freezer for just such an occasion. All of these ingredients are layered into a tube pan to make a beautifully textured cake.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool upright in pan 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan; place on serving plate, crumble side up. Cool completely before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

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I did a kitchen cupboard inventory yesterday. On one of the upper shelves, I found a can of Solo Cake & Pastry Filling. I pulled back the label of the almond flavored can and noticed a recipe for a Bundt cake. Who doesn’t love the aroma of almonds and butter baking in a cake batter? I immediately pulled out a few sticks of butter to soften on the counter and waited in anticipation for a beautiful baking experience. Here’s the recipe:

The cake turned out divine! Just as I had suspected… A moist and flavorful mixture of goodness!

https://www.solofoods.com/recipes/almond-bundt-cake

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This week marks the beginning of the official holiday season. Like many of you, my calendar is filled with holiday commitments, most of which require a carry-in dish or baked treat to bring along to the party. I really enjoy this time of year and I do my best to take advantage of a few stress-free tips that can really simplify things. One such tip would be to choose recipes that are easy yet flavorful. The recipe below includes ingredients that are nearly always on-hand in my kitchen. It’s adapted from a recipe that I found in an old community cookbook many years ago. This one’s a no brainer for me… It always turns out perfect. A few simple ingredients bake up a moist and flavorful, good ole’ fashioned, pound cake.

Easy Peasy Pound Cake

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups butter

6 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract

3/4 cup milk

Grease and flour a Bundt pan (take your time with this step, getting all of the softened butter and flour into all the nooks and crannies). DON’T PREHEAT THE OVEN.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla/almond extract and continue mixing well.

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This happens every December as the temperatures drop, the snow starts to fall, and holiday celebrations begin.

I recently attended an early morning co-worker’s meeting. We only meet four times a year and our December meeting is more like a meeting/potluck lunch. We discuss business during the morning hours and then celebrate the upcoming holidays with a carry-in lunch in the afternoon. As a special breakfast treat, I had volunteered to bake a few items and run to a local coffee shop for a box of hot coffee for the crowd.

Well, to my dismay, it started to snow heavily the night before the event and I knew the snow would hamper my trip to the donut shop the following morning. I decided that I would get up really early to throw my baked goods into the oven so that I could travel into town and onto the meeting in a timely manner. I wanted to make an uncomplicated recipe with only a few ingredients to speed up the process so I grabbed my recipe file to look for a recipe that had appeared in the newspaper many years ago. I had clipped it out and tucked it away for just such an occasion. For this simple recipe, I used a box of spice cake mix and a can of apple pie filling for two of the ingredients. The addition of three eggs was all that was needed to finish off the batter. I threw in a handful of chopped walnuts to add a bit of crunch.

Below you will find the basic recipe. The addition of nuts, raisins, chocolate chips, etc. will certainly add to the flavor and texture of the cake. I’ve added a note with some classic flavor combinations if you would like to change things up a bit… Enjoy this moist and flavorful cake!

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Amish Snack Cake

1 box cake mix, any flavor (I use spice cake mix)

3 large eggs, beaten

1 can pie filling, any flavor (I use apple pie filling)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13×9″ pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, eggs and pie filling. Stir together until well blended. Bake for 40-45 minutes or test for doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake. Cool completely before icing (if desired).

Other variations:

Chocolate cake mix with cherry pie filling and chocolate chips

Butter pecan cake mix with apple pie filling and nuts

Yellow cake mix with peach filling and walnuts

Pineapple cake mix with blueberry filling and coconut

Yellow cake mix with cherry filling

Spice cake mix with apple pie filling and walnuts

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A couple of years ago, I was invited to an afternoon luncheon where a gathering of friends would celebrate the coming of Christmas. When I arrived, several women were happily chatting as they placed holiday favors at each place setting. An assortment of Christmas chocolates, candy canes, and holiday ornaments were individually wrapped for each guest. One woman had made at least 3 dozen mini-quick bread loaves, each beautifully bundled in festive cellophane wrap. She had baked lots of different flavored loaves; pumpkin nut, cranberry orange, banana, and lemon pound cake. I was tickled to receive the lemon flavored loaf for the glaze glistened through the cellophane and looked absolutely delicious.
Arriving home, I promptly put on the kettle and sliced the loaf to share with the family. A quick bite had me rummaging through my recipe files as the taste reminded me of an old recipe I had tucked away years before. The lemony flavor is perfect and the texture is incredibly moist. This recipe makes a beautiful bundt cake that is baked for about 1 hour. (I often pour the batter in two 8X4″ loaf pans and bake for 40-45 minutes.) The zesty glaze adds a boost of flavor that soaks into the cake and makes it a wonderful addition to the holiday dessert table.

Lemon Christmas Cake

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

4 eggs

3 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt

1 teaspoon lemon extract

For the glaze:

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan.

Beat sugar and butter together in a bowl until light and fluffy, nearly 10 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, thoroughly beating after each addition into the butter and sugar mixture. Stir in lemon extract. In a medium bowl, sift flour, salt, and baking soda together. Add a third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture; mix well. Pour in half the buttermilk and beat until combined. Continue adding the remaining flour mixture and buttermilk, beating well after each addition, and ending with the flour mixture. Evenly pour batter into prepared pan. Before baking, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 60 to 75 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

For the glaze:

Beat confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons butter, and lemon zest together in a bowl until glaze is smooth. Pour about half the glaze over the cake; let cool. Pour remaining glaze over the cake.

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﻿﻿ There are very few recipes that I bake where I don’t use oatmeal as an ingredient in some form or another. I often stir a handful of oatmeal into the batter for cakes, cookies, and muffins. Or, I might sprinkle oats over the top of the batter just before popping pans into the oven. I even stir oats into my ground beef when making meatloaf, hamburgers, or meatballs. I’m a big fan of the flavor, texture, and health benefit that oats can bring to many recipes.

This Oatmeal Snack Cake is chocked full of flavor and is great with a cup of coffee, packed in the lunchbox for a mid-day treat, or served with a scoop of ice cream after an evening meal. The sweet glaze drizzled over the top of the cake is optional but it dresses things up a bit. Mostly, I just bake the recipe the way it’s written, slice it after cooling, pack it into a Tupperware container, and wait for it to disappear.

Oatmeal Snack Cake

1 1⁄4 cups boiling water

1 cup old fashioned oats

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 1⁄3 cups flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cups walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13X9″ baking pan, set aside.

Pour boiling water over dry oatmeal; set aside for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix the flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, combine sugars and oil until well blended. Add eggs, vanilla, and cooled oatmeal, mix thoroughly. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Cool completely before slicing. Drizzle with icing or sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

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﻿The grocery store was packed with holiday shoppers yesterday. The warm sun and mild temperatures brought people out in light jackets and cropped pants. I’m so happy that Spring has arrived in our part of the world.

Like many of you, I’ve been baking goodies for the Easter weekend. The local grocer had a huge display of overly ripened bananas on hand so I picked a decent selection of fruit and carted it home with me. I headed to my trusty file to find one of my spring-time favorites. This scrumptious Banana Streusel Swirl Cake is absolutely delicious. I hope you have a chance enjoy this crunchy, sweet, delicate cake made with pecans, cinnamon, mashed bananas, and a convenient cake mix. Happy Easter, Everyone!

Banana Streusel Swirl Cake

Streusel:

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Cake:
1 package Yellow, Spice or Banana Cake Mix

1 package vanilla instant pudding mix

4 eggs, slightly beaten

3-4 medium ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup canola oil

1/4 cup water

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease a 10″ bundt pan.
For the streusel: combine all 4 ingredients and stir well. Set aside.

For the cake: combine all 6 ingredients and mix by hand or with a mixer for 2 minutes. Batter should be thick and well combined.

Pour half the batter into bundt pan. Sprinkle streusel over batter. Spread remaining batter over streusel. Gently swirl the batter with a butter knife in a circular motion. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool for 25 minutes. Loosen sides of cake from pan and invert on a cake plate. If desired, frost with glaze and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

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﻿During my weekly shopping trips, I usually purchase a load of bananas for quick breakfasts and simple snacks. By the end of the week, the bright yellow and slightly green fruit has turned to more of a brown and yellow speckled mass of goodness. While some might pitch the ripe bananas in the trash, to me, these gorgeous specimens are best for baking. The sugar becomes more concentrated and the texture of the banana lends a moist property to scrumptious treats baked in the oven. I often toss the brown fruit into the freezer, skins and all, so that they become even more flavorful and delicious. Just pull the frozen bananas out of the freezer a bit before baking, peel the slightly thawed fruit, mash, and add to your favorite banana based recipes.

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Mash the bananas with the baking soda and stir into the cake mix batter. Pour batter into one greased and floured 9×13 inch baking pan. Do not preheat oven. Place uncooked cake in oven and turn oven on to 350 degrees. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool thoroughly before frosting, slicing, and serving.

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The holiday season is upon us and I am getting an early start on my baking for the upcoming Thanksgiving meal. This week we will be traveling east to enjoy the holiday with my youngest sister and her family. I have volunteered to bring all of the desserts so I have started baking and packaging some of our family’s favorite recipes. It’s so much easier to bake ahead of time and then refrigerate or freeze the baked goods until just a few hours before the event.

This Pistachio Crunch Loaf is a long standing family favorite. The festive green color comes from the packet of pistachio pudding mix added to the batter. For an extra boost of flavor, try substituting the sour milk with pistachio flavored yogurt.

It’s always fun to contribute an item (or two) to the family table over the holidays. But, if you’re one of those people that always forgets your favorite platter or covered casserole dish when it’s time to go home, then here’s a great tip when traveling for the holidays…

For the last several weeks, I’ve been purchasing decorative holiday tins of various shapes and sizes from local resale shops. (They range in price from about 50 – 75 cents.) I wash and dry them well when I get them home. This way I can pack all of my goodies into festive tins, stack them into reusable bags and conveniently store the tins when arriving at our destination. When we are ready to bring out the treats, I’ll simply open all of the beautiful tins and lay them out on the buffett for guests to nibble on while enjoying time with family and friends. The left-overs can be covered and stored in a cool dry place so we can continue to snack throughout the weekend. No mess, no fuss! If there is anything left by Sunday, I will leave the inexpensive tins behind without a thought.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

Pistachio Crunch Loaf

1 package Pillsbury yellow cake mix

4 eggs

¼ cup canola oil

1 small package instant pistachio pudding mix

1 cup sour milk ( 1 scant cup of milk +2 teaspoons vinegar)

Sugar Mixture:

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8×4″ loaf pans. In a medium bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs oil, pudding mix and sour milk. Beat until all of the ingredients are well blended into a thick batter.

Spread half of the batter into the greased loaf pans. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon and sugar mixture over the batter, dividing it between the two pans. Repeat the layers, adding the remaining bread batter and the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture on top. Lightly swirl batter with a butter knife (optional).

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the bread should come out clean. Cool loaves completely before removing from pans.